Blue Earth Therapeutics Partners with UCL for Prostate Cancer Radioligand Therapy Development

Blue Earth Therapeutics, an innovative leader in the development of next-generation therapeutic radiopharmaceuticals, has entered into a clinical research collaboration with University College London (UCL). This partnership aims to conduct a Phase 1/2 trial to evaluate the safety, tolerability, radiation dosimetry, and anti-tumor activity of Blue Earth Therapeutics' investigational drug, 225Ac-rhPSMA-10.1. This trial will focus on men with metastatic castrate-resistant prostate cancer who have previously shown a response to lutetium 177 (177Lu)-PSMA therapy.

The trial will be carried out by the Treatment Resistance Group at the UCL Cancer Institute under the leadership of Professor Gerhardt Attard, MD PhD FRCP. Professor Attard, a highly respected clinical trialist in prostate cancer research, holds the John Black Charitable Foundation Endowed Chair in Urological Cancer Research. The collaboration emphasizes the commitment of both industry and academia to advancing the field of life sciences in the UK for the benefit of patient health.

Blue Earth Therapeutics’ investigational drug, 225Ac-rhPSMA-10.1, is their second compound using radiohybrid PSMA technology. This technology enables the development of radiopharmaceuticals that can be labeled with either beta- or alpha-emitting isotopes. The pharmacokinetic profile of rhPSMA-10.1 has been optimized to retain radioactivity in tumor deposits while minimizing exposure to normal tissues. When paired with longer-lived isotopes like 225Ac, this technology holds the potential to deliver high radiation doses directly to cancer cells. Building on an ongoing trial with the beta-emitting isotope 177Lu, Blue Earth Therapeutics is now focusing on the alpha-emitting 225Ac.

David E. Gauden, D.Phil., Chief Executive Officer of Blue Earth Therapeutics, stated, "Our goal is to deliver precise, targeted therapy tailored to a patient’s condition. This collaboration with UCL aims to swiftly transition alpha-labeled rhPSMA-10.1 from the lab to clinical settings to assist patients with advanced prostate cancer. We are thrilled to partner with such a prestigious academic institution and look forward to working with Professor Attard and his team on this critical UK clinical research initiative."

Professor Attard also expressed his enthusiasm, saying, "We are pleased to collaborate with Blue Earth Therapeutics as we share a common vision to improve cancer treatment outcomes. Despite advancements in therapeutic options for castration-resistant prostate cancer over the past two decades, treatment resistance remains a significant issue, causing thousands of premature deaths annually. Precision-delivered radiation therapy using radioligands offers a promising approach to selectively target resistant prostate cancer. We believe alpha particle-based radiation delivery is a highly promising area of research and are eager to begin clinical testing of rhPSMA-10.1 for patients with aggressive, treatment-resistant prostate cancer."

Radiohybrid Prostate-Specific Membrane Antigen (rhPSMA) compounds are designed to be internalized by prostate cancer cells and may be labeled with imaging or therapeutic isotopes, providing a potential for true theranostic technology. Originating from the Technical University of Munich, Germany, Blue Earth Diagnostics acquired exclusive worldwide rights to rhPSMA diagnostic imaging technology from Scintomics GmbH in 2018 and therapeutic rights in 2020. These rights were sublicensed to Blue Earth Therapeutics, which, along with Blue Earth Diagnostics, focuses on developing both 177Lu‐rhPSMA‐10.1 and 225Ac-rhPSMA-10.1.

Blue Earth Therapeutics is a clinical-stage company dedicated to advancing targeted radiotherapeutics for cancer treatment. With expertise spanning radiopharmaceutical and oncology drug development, and biotechnology start-ups, the company aims to innovate and advance new therapies for serious diseases, initially focusing on prostate cancer with plans to expand into other oncology areas. Blue Earth Therapeutics operates under the Bracco family of companies and is based in Oxford, UK.